Depression has become an often talked about topic within the realm of mental disorders. Within recent years, there has been an observable increase in the amount of cases of depression, especially amongst teenagers. Depression is also the most common reason people seek professional help through medical professionals and therapists. This disorder can cause behavioral as well as biological changes in the patient. Many people experience depression after a past or current loss, although the disorder can sometimes develop without an obvious cause. Having this disorder can slow the individual down, suppress aggression, and also lessen the acts of risky behavior the person partakes in. Biologically in the brain, we see that individuals that have developed depression actually have decreased amounts of norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain, which are neurotransmitters that help regulate our sleep and stress levels, and also allow us to experience feelings of pleasure and happiness. In order to regain biological balance again, often times those with recurrent or prolonged symptoms of depression can be prescribed antidepressants from a medical professional in order to change the way the way the neurotransmitters bind to receptors in the brain, lessening the individual’s feelings of depressed mood.
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I have personal experience of watching multiple people in my life go through periods of depression depending on what they are dealing with at that point in their lives. Some of the symptoms I have observed with the people I have seen go through depression are oversleeping or not sleeping enough, lack of motivation to do anything such as school work, eating too much/too little and unhealthily, and showing lack of concern for the future. These are some of the most common symptoms of depression. While it is hard to watch someone go through this, with the right form of therapy, there is always light at the end of the tunnel for individuals struggling with depression.
Schimelpfening, N. (2019, August 2). Do You Know About All the Treatment Options for Depression? Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/treatments-for-depression-1065502.
This was a very well written blog. It gave me many facts and insights into depression that I did not know a lot about. When you said in your blog that there has been an increase in cases especially, among teenagers that made me feel very unhappy. There is so much going on these days and it is so upsetting that younger people are starting to feel this depressed. Like you, I have also seen people suffer from depression and it is so sad to see. All you want to do I help them, but it is so out of your control. The symptoms I have seen are like yours. Excessive over eating, a lack to to certain things they used to enjoy and sleeping all the time. The best thing to do in this case, if you see someone who is depressed or if you are feeling depressed is to seek help. Although at some points it might feel helpless you can always recover and get through this tough time.